These and Those

Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem

Tag Archives: God / Hashem

[PEP Student] Ascent After Exodus

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, Moadim l’simcha! (This is a special greeting for the interim days-chol hamoed-between the Yom Tov at the beginning and end of Pesach, or Sukkot.) I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the crunchy taste of matzah this Passover. I was fortunate to spend the Seder with my friends and my sister Continue Reading »

אחרי מות, achrei mot

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

i would’ve wanted more.  two parshiot later after the death of aharon’s sons, parshat achrei mot, picks up at the moment following their deaths.  back in parshat shimini, where we actually learn of the boys’ all-too-close encounter with foreign fire, God speaks directly to aharon in a rare moment of personal revelation. okay, at least Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] Consumed by the Fire?

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, This past week’s parsha includes one of the few narratives in the book of Vayikra, namely the divinely ordained death of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, upon presenting their voluntary fire offering. But the telling of the acts of Nadav and Avihu and their subsequent deaths are brief and perplexing. We do not Continue Reading »

צו, tsav

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

in this week’s parsha צו (tsav), moshe, following God’s instructions, performs the ritual sacrifices and ceremony necessary to induct aharon and his sons into the priesthood.  the Torah uses the same word להקריב both meaning “to induct” when referring to the cohanim (priests) as well “to offer” when referring to the animal sacrifices. strikingly, this Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] Heed the Call

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, I must tell you that it feels a little strange to write this email to you from the other side of the ocean. Thank God, I arrived safe and sound in New York on Wednesday (even though I had to wait for almost an hour in the INTERNATIONAL customs line!) But, once I Continue Reading »

על שמות, on shmot

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

in the beginning of sefer shmot, בני ישראל did not yet know their God.  when God recruits moshe to make the initial introduction between He and the people, God first must tell moshe by what name He can be called before moshe is even willing to make this giant leap.  sefer shmot is the book Continue Reading »

פקודי, pekudei

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

in this week’s parsha, פקודי, the משכן is finally built.  thanks to the work of bezalel and his team of craftsmen, the tabernacle, the priestly clothing, and all of their accoutrements are constructed exactly as God commanded through moshe.  God then instructs moshe to set up the משכן on the 1st of the 1st month, Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] To perfect the world under the Sovereignt​y of the Almighty

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, Last week’s parsha, Parshat Vayakhel, continues to describe the construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) which the Israelites built in the desert and would serve later as the prototype for the Temple in King Solomon’s reign. But I’d like to focus on a different aspect of the parsha, namely Shabbat. Before the Torah goes Continue Reading »

Prayer

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Aviva P.

by Michael Kleinman All things pray, like the plant growing toward the sun.  So the human tries to grow his mind and heart back to his Source, who is Hashem, and what we are praying for is to know our Higher Self.  We are praying with the desire to release our mental projection of our Continue Reading »

ויקהל, vayakhel

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

when i first read this week’s parsha, in which the תרומה (gifts offered to God) and the building of the משכן (tabernacle) is detailed, i experienced a sense of de-ja-vue in their descriptions.  i thought, i’ve literally just read all of these same words about how the skilled should offer their services, these vessels will Continue Reading »